Transmigrated into a villain, I personally tore apart the shackles of fate.

Chapter 68 Help (Thanks to Jingxuan, who loves winter melon and lemon tea, for the update reminder)

At that very moment, she sensed a sudden change in the aura surrounding him. Crimson magic enveloped him, making him appear as if he were a demon.

'Blood magic?'

Maya asked herself, looking at the unusual magic. But it wasn't just the color of his magic; it was more about the feeling it gave her.

She could feel the stench of blood, as if it had been flowing from that moment on.

What happened next was something she had never expected.

She thought it was a weak boy, but suddenly he pounced on the puppet at an even faster speed than before.

swish swish

He began to attack the puppet rapidly.

The dagger spun in his hand, creating a blood-red crescent moon that sliced ​​through the air.

bang bang

The attack was relentless, a relentless storm of blades attempting to overwhelm the phantom golem.

A series of attacks formed from blood-red scimitar-shaped magical energy attempted to pierce the puppet. Even before the daggers could touch the puppet, the blood-red blades had already passed it and struck the wall behind it like the wind.

The puppet's defenses began to crumble, unable to keep up with the sudden onslaught. This was a fierce battle between steel and shadow, a contest between will and mechanism.

He seemed to be pouring his essence into every strike, and every move proved his growth.

'what? '

Maya was astonished. It was an unbelievable scene, a scene that made her blood boil with excitement.

You can do it.

Click, click, click

Without realizing it, she started eating potato chips quickly, as if she were watching the climax of a movie.

'His attack is limiting its movement.'

The boy's purple eyes turned slightly reddish, and his irises shimmered.

'You can do it!' She silently cheered for Morse, her heart filled with excitement and admiration.

He's injured.

She didn't ignore the physical strain on him. The bulging veins on his muscles testified to the physical toll of his relentless attacks. But he persevered, his resilience shining through even in adversity.

'His control over mana is still immature, but it's as if he instinctively knows how to use it. This must be one of his [traits] or [skills].'

As a skilled mage, Maya's insight allows her to see beyond appearances. Although Morse's control over magic is still somewhat immature, he seems to have an instinctive understanding of manipulating it. It's as if his [traits] or [skills] have endowed him with a natural magical aptitude, compensating for his lack of formal training.

The blade continued its relentless attack, each strike a calculated move, attempting to launch a surprise attack on the puppet. Morse's attacks were merciless, every movement reflecting his determination to succeed.

He's trying to beat it with his skills.

Swoosh swoosh

During his rapid offensive, one particular attack caught Maya's attention. It was a slash with an unusual speed and trajectory, clearly a deliberate surprise attack intended to catch the puppet off guard. The puppet, accustomed to his attack patterns, barely managed to dodge the blow, revealing a weakness in its defense.

Swoosh

Immediately following was another slash from the opposite direction, aimed directly at the lower side of the puppet.

Swoosh

But the puppet dodged his attack again.

'Another blow.'

However, Maya saw that Morse had clearly anticipated the puppet's counterattack.

Another attack from the opposite direction is approaching again.

Swoosh

The puppet reacted at the last moment and successfully avoided the attack.

His attacks missed, but they weren't completely blocked either, because the puppet couldn't keep up with the parrying speed.

'Hmm? Another blow? But is it still too late?'

Maya immediately saw another attack aimed at the core of the puppet, but the puppet was already prepared to dodge.

'Um? '

However, it did not avoid it.

On the contrary, it has no way to avoid it.

Because it is surrounded by a red line.

'What's this?'

She herself was unaware of the faint crimson magic permeating the air, coiling around the puppet like threads. She was too focused on Morse's attack to notice it, even as a bystander.

Knock

Then, in a victorious clash, the sound of his dagger striking the puppet's defenses finally rang out.

The phantom puppet could neither dodge nor block the attack, because it came too fast.

The crimson dagger pierced the puppet's defenses, and at the same time, crimson lines around the puppet rapidly descended, forming a cage.

puff

The phantom puppet paused abruptly, its form flickered and disappeared, re-entering repair mode to await the magic engineer's restoration.

"He actually did it."

A surge of excitement welled up in Maya's heart as she witnessed Morse's victory. This fierce battle had not been won by brute force, but by planning, determination, and an indomitable will. It was a testament to his growth, potential, and strong spirit.

But at the same time, this was a feeling she hadn't experienced in a long time.

The thrill of battle, the exhilaration of pushing your limits.

Just like she talked to her coach before coming here about how she constantly pushed her limits, but she also realized that that statement was wrong.

In reality, she wasn't challenging herself; she was simply doing what made her comfortable.

As a nature mage with powerful elemental abilities, she always felt more comfortable in the elemental chamber than challenged. She trained there using nature magic and felt right at home.

Moreover, since the Elemental Chamber is considered a very difficult place, everyone assumes that she can handle it with ease because she is a genius.

That's true, but not because she's a genius, but because she's a nature mage. From the first time she stepped into that place, she never felt uncomfortable.

"what......"

Seeing this scene, Maya was deeply moved. It was as if she had been inspired and motivated.

What am I doing?

But that doesn't mean she never pushed herself. In fact, she did push herself before coming to the academy, or even in the first few months of her studies.

When she saw Morse, a victorious smile spread across her face; his chest heaved with fatigue from the battle. This moment reminded her of when she had pushed her limits, a reminder of the exhilaration she had once found in challenging herself.

But as the adrenaline subsided, Maya's attention turned to Morse's condition. She noticed a clear sign: his steps were unsteady, and his posture was somewhat shaky.

Clearly, the fierce battle had taken its toll on him, exhausting his strength and leaving him nearly worn out.

Bang

Immediately afterwards, he collapsed to the ground and was unable to stand up again.

Maya approached him without hesitation, her concern overriding any doubt. Her steps were quick and decisive, her heart filled with a compassion unlike any she had felt before.

"Are you alright?" she asked softly, her voice filled with genuine concern, as she reached out to help him up.

"Huh...huh..."

Morse was panting, his shoulders heaving as he struggled to catch his breath. He nodded slightly, a mixture of exhaustion and pride on his face.

"Wow! You're amazing!" Maya exclaimed excitedly, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. "I've never seen anyone defeat the Phantom Golem like you. Your skill and determination are incredible!"

Morse muttered softly, almost inaudibly, "Nothing..."

Maya's smile widened, ignoring his modesty. "No, really, you're like a whirlwind. Your movements are so precise, especially that last strike... wow!"

Morse's gaze remained fixed on the ground; he was clearly unaccustomed to being praised, especially by someone as energetic as Maya.

“What I mean is, not many students can hit that puppet, let alone defeat it,” Maya continued, her excitement contagious. “You’re really amazing!”

Morse's response was just a low grumble, but Maya was not discouraged. She was determined to make him realize his achievement.

"The technique you used to entangle the puppet was brilliant!" Maya's eyes gleamed with admiration. "I've never seen such a move before!"

"Tsk." However, Morse's response was merely a soft click of the tongue. His lips were tightly pressed together, and his fatigue and discomfort were evident.

He hates it when others know about his skills and interfere in his affairs.

“You should be very proud of yourself, junior,” Maya continued, her voice filled with genuine enthusiasm. “You faced a tough challenge and triumphed. That takes real ability and determination.” She placed her hand on her chest, speaking like a general on the battlefield.

In fact, she even imagined herself to be like that.

But Morse could no longer stand Maya's nagging. He finally looked up and met Maya's sincere blue eyes. He couldn't deny the undeniable sincerity in her words, but he also didn't want to admit it.

"How long have you been watching?" he asked, with a silent protest. It seemed to imply that watching someone else's skill was impolite.

After a moment's thought, Maya realized she had been watching him for quite some time. "Hmm? Probably from the very beginning?"

"Huh? Don't you know it's impolite to look at other people's skills?"

"Hmm? Is that so?"

"Yes."

“I understand… but if you don’t want to showcase your skills, why train in public?”

“Well…” Morse hesitated. Even though he was very eloquent, Maya’s point of view made sense. And he didn’t want to argue.

Seeing that he didn't answer, Maya showed a proud expression.

"Hehe..." Then, she let out a cheerful laugh.

"What's so funny?"

"nothing……"

"Tsk."

“Anyway, junior,” Maya said in a warm and respectful tone, “you’re really amazing. This is the first time I’ve ever seen a freshman hit a Phantom Golem.”

Morse's momentary annoyance was replaced by surprise. Clearly, Maya's praise contained a sincerity he hadn't anticipated.

“However…” Maya’s expression turned serious and analytical, “there is still room for improvement.”

“Your skills and intuition are excellent,” Maya began, her tone focused, “but you lack a certain precision. It’s like when you’re directing your body’s movements, your body isn’t keeping up with your commands.”

She slowly lowered her eyes, observing his body. Even though he looked very thin, she could see the muscles gradually developing beneath his clothes.

"But that move you just used... did you just learn it?" Maya hit the nail on the head, her gaze piercing through him.

"..."

“It’s obvious, you know? When you were facing the Phantom Golem,” Maya continued, her gaze sharpening, “you were using it without controlling your magic. Undoubtedly, it was powerful, but also very crude. You have to learn to channel your magic, but at that moment, when you used that skill, you were doing it subconsciously.”

"Senior Maya, you are amazing."

Maya smiled gently: "Of course, I'm number one."

"Ugh……"

“Hey, if you’re interested, I can help you improve your mana control skills,” Maya offered with a friendly smile.

Morse frowned, looking at her suspiciously: "Why would you do this?"

He doesn't believe in help without expecting something in return; everyone has their own motives.

Maya's smile didn't disappear, but her eyes revealed sincerity and determination: "Consider it a repayment, junior."

Morse blinked, looking confused. "Reward? What reward?"

Maya's gaze softened as she looked at him: "It's because you've rekindled my desire to challenge myself and break out of my comfort zone. You know, it's easy to get stuck in routines and rely on familiar things in life. But seeing you fearlessly embrace challenges reminds me of what it's really like to test your limits."

Morse's expression remained calm, though her words made him pause for a moment. He had never considered that his actions would affect others, especially someone like Maya.

“I’ve been too complacent and self-satisfied,” Maya continued, her voice tinged with self-reflection, “but seeing you today made me realize that I’ve been backing down.”

Morse continued to gaze at Maya, absorbing her words.

“So, if you’re willing, I hope to help you perfect your control over your magic,” Maya said firmly. “And in return, you will help me challenge myself again, just like you did today.”

Morse's expression remained calm, but his mind raced. The idea of ​​helping others challenge themselves came unexpectedly; it was clearly not a common thought.

“Think about it,” Maya continued with a smile. “Junior, it’s okay if you’re not interested.”

But for Morse, this was an opportunity he would never have again in his life.

"No, there's nothing to think about. If it's you, senior, I accept."